With 49ers OTAs in full swing, we’re taking a position-by-position look at the team’s roster to figure out the strengths, weaknesses, potential dark horses to make the team and other nuggets about the players who will be competing for jobs on the 53-man roster.
The 49ers’ defense has always been built front to back during head coach Kyle Shanahan’s tenure. However, it’s increasingly clear that a requisite level of cornerback play is required to contend with the quality of quarterbacks and receivers San Francisco will face en route to a championship.
Last offseason the team invested in free agent CB Charvarius Ward, but they didn’t make any similar investments this year despite losing CB Emmanuel Moseley in free agency.
It’s not unusual for this coaching staff and front office to lean on its own players before exploring outside options, and that’s exactly what they’re doing at CB this year in hopes it won’t have a pernicious effect.
There’s no doubt it can work, but it turns the potentially easy decision-making on an important unit into something of a hirsute process for Shanahan and his coaches. They can pencil in their two outside starters and their nickel. After that, everything is up in the air.
Let’s take a look at what the 49ers are working with at cornerback going into training camp: